Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Pontianak Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Pontianak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Bali vs $661 in Pontianak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,308 per month in Bali vs $1,020 in Pontianak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,345 per month in Bali vs $1,379 in Pontianak, rent included.

Bali costs about 92% more than Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Pontianak are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Pontianak 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 Rp 49.7K

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

99.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 Rp 472.8K

$12.20 Rp 209.7K

125.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 Rp 73.3K

$3.32 Rp 57.0K

28.31%

Cappuccino

$2.28 Rp 39.2K

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

36.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$0.51 Rp 8,849

123.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.1K

$0.28 Rp 4,836

110.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 42.8K

$3.12 Rp 53.6K

-20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 Rp 56.4K

$2.40 Rp 41.2K

36.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 29.7K

$1.18 Rp 20.2K

46.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 Rp 41.4K

$1.18 Rp 20.3K

104.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

$0.93 Rp 15.9K

23.66%

Eggs

$2.32 Rp 39.9K

$1.60 Rp 27.6K

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 Rp 237.2K

$7.88 Rp 135.5K

75.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 Rp 68.5K

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

27.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 Rp 200.0K

$7.98 Rp 137.2K

45.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 61.0K

$2.42 Rp 41.5K

46.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.6K

$1.43 Rp 24.5K

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 Rp 44.4K

$1.87 Rp 32.1K

37.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.51 Rp 25.9K

47.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

$1.33 Rp 22.9K

36.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.94 Rp 33.3K

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.2K

3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Rp 11.7K

$0.45 Rp 7,656

51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 53.2K

$1.80 Rp 30.9K

72.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.57 Rp 387.8K

$22.63 Rp 388.8K

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 Rp 45.1K

$2.03 Rp 34.9K

29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

-16.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,579

$0.30 Rp 5,080

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.25 Rp 141.7K

$9.80 Rp 168.4K

-15.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,786

$0.53 Rp 9,027

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 7,824

$0.37 Rp 6,379

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 Rp 103.7K

$2.88 Rp 49.5K

109.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

1.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.7K Rp 442.4M

$24.3K Rp 417.5M

5.95%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.2K Rp 553.2M

$27.8K Rp 477.2M

15.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

13.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.98 Rp 68.5K

$4.32 Rp 74.3K

-7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.26 Rp 417.0K

$22.55 Rp 387.6K

7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.4 Rp 1.4M

$22.69 Rp 390.0K

258.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.50 Rp 94.5K

$6.02 Rp 103.4K

-8.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 Rp 57.9K

$3.01 Rp 51.7K

11.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$273 Rp 4.7M

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

196.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,007 Rp 103.2M

$7,613 Rp 130.8M

-21.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 902.4K

$42.22 Rp 725.6K

24.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.80 Rp 632.5K

$31.31 Rp 538.0K

17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 Rp 15.1M

$255 Rp 4.4M

245.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 Rp 10.1M

$160 Rp 2.7M

268.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 Rp 51.7M

$581 Rp 10.0M

418.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 Rp 31.5M

$333 Rp 5.7M

450.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 Rp 44.3M

$1,374 Rp 23.6M

87.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,080 Rp 35.7M

$749 Rp 12.9M

177.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 3.8M

$345 Rp 5.9M

-35.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Bali versus $255 in Pontianak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Pontianak, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Bali versus $12 in Pontianak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $212 – making Pontianak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bali vs Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 92% more than Pontianak, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,905 per month in Bali and $991 in Pontianak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pontianak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bali and $12.00 in Pontianak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Bali and $661 in Pontianak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pontianak, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Bali at $1,270. In Pontianak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pontianak costs $661 versus $1,270 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pontianak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.